MOAB, UTAH

THIS IS A SMALL TOWN NEAR ARCHES  AND CANYONLAND THAT ATTRACTS A LARGE NUMBER OF TOURISTS,  EACH YEAR  THEY HAVE MOUNTAIN BIKE RIDERS HERE .  MOAB REFERS TO THE AREA ON THE EAST SIDE OF JORDAN RIVER.  OTHERS THINK THE NAMES CAME FROM PAIUTE ORIGINS CALLING IT MOSQUITOS.

THIS WAS AN OLD MORMON TOWN IN THE 1800'S AND THEY ATTEMPTED TO ESTABLISH A FARM.  THEY HAD REPEATED INDIAN ATTACKS.  AFTER 1855 THE FORT IDEA WAS ABANDONED.  BY 1878 A NEW ROUND OF SETTLERS CAME HERE TO LIVE.  BY 1883 THE DENVER AND RIO GRANDE WEST RAILROAD WAS BUILT NEARBY  MOAB FARMERS HAD TO ADAPT FROM TRADING WITH PASSING TRAVELERS , AND HAD TO MOVE GOODS AND DISTANT MARKETS.

MOAB GOODS TO DISTANT MARKETS.  MOAB'S ECONOMY WAS ON AGRICULTURE BUT BY 1920' IT SHIFTED TO MINING URANIUM, OIL, AND GAS.   BY THE 1950'S MOAB POPULATION GREW TO 6000.  THE CITY IN THE 40'S WAS A GREAT PLACE TO SHOOT A MOVIE. 

CANYONLANDS AND ARCHES  NATIONAL PARK ARE GOOD PLACES TO VIEW UNUSUAL SANDSTONE CLIFFS.  THEY ARE NEAR THE COLORADO RIVER WHERE PEOPLE DO WHITE WATER RAFTING.  FOLKS ALSO CLIMB ROCKS HERE.

MOAB'S AREA HAS HOT SUMMERS AND COOL WINTERS.  IT HAS LESS THAN 1 " OF RAIN PER MONTH.  THEY HAD A FERRY TO CROSS COLORADO RIVER BEFORE 1911.  THEN IN 1955 THE BRIDGE WAS DESTROYED.  BY 62 A FREIGHT SPUR OF THE RAILROAD CAME HERE.

1/3 OF THE TOWN IS NATIVE AMERICAN.  MOAB IS FAMOUS FOR OFF ROAD DRIVING.  I HAVE BEEN THROUGH THESE CANYONLANDS AND THEY ARE BEAUTIFUL!

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